Don’t Sleep on These Tips to Avoid Drowsy Driving
According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, drivers who lose up to two hours of sleep in a 24-hour period nearly double their risk of a car crash. Drivers who only get between four to five hours of sleep have a crash rate of approximately 4.3 times the regular amount.
About 35 percent of drivers in the United States sleep less than the recommended amount, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The recommended amount of sleep is seven hours.
How do you know if you are feeling drowsy while driving? Some symptoms include struggling to keep your eyes open, daydreaming and missing road signs.
Falling asleep behind the wheel of a truck or car is extremely dangerous to you and others on the road and puts everyone at risk. Fatigue and exhaustion affect your reaction time when driving. Tamra Johnson, public relations manager for AAA, emphasizes the importance of taking the time to sleep before you hit the road.
“AAA urges drivers to not rely on their bodies to provide warning signs of fatigue and should instead prioritize getting plenty of sleep (at least seven hours) in their daily schedules,” said Johnson.
AAA has many suggestions to avoid drowsy driving while on the road:
- Take turns and share the driving load with an alert passenger
- Schedule a break every two hours
- Avoid heavy foods
- Drink something with caffeine
- Stop driving if you feel sleepy
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